Kira kira hikaru

A 30 something Japanese doctor bows to the pressure of his parents' demands and agrees to an arranged marriage even though he already has a gay lover who is a student at a local college.

The wife has a problem of her own (alcohol) but does try to make the marriage work, seeking out the lover, introducing herself and inviting him to their home.

Although the student and the wife seem to get along well, the doctor has problems and much trouble ensues.

Even through the difficulties presented with subtitles and trying to understand those of a very different culture, the movie is well presented, consistently interesting and the performances are very believable.

Probably a story, which is difficult to understand from a westerner's perspective. The gay doctor who has a younger boyfriend succumbs to his parents pressure for an arranged marriage. Obviously, tensions ensue and things get slowly out of hand. Although the story is quite exaggerated it does reflect the necessity of the Japanese to preserver their social face, despite the feelings people might harbor (or not) for each other. In a country where suppression of one's own emotions and needs is the norm rather than the exception, struggling for acceptance is a thorny path, even when the only people involved agree on their mutual actions. The story, although bizarre, might convey the message, to an extent.

The actual realization, however, lets a lot to be desired. The actors fail at communicating to the poor viewers their struggles, hence the movie oscillates between drama and (probably unintended) comedy, alas unsuccessful at both ends. The plot is quite lengthy, and the ending an incomprehensible cliffhanger-ish (or sort-of).

If you are a fan of "alternative" asian cinematography, it is an average movie to watch. If not, you're probably going to hate it, so better pass.